Hier ziet gy / ô jonge jeugd! in deze nieuwe prent / Vier dieren afgebeeld na 't leven pertinent 1725 - 1780

This print showing four animals was made by Johannes Kannewet II in Amsterdam. Kannewet was active in a time of exploration and colonization and this work reflects the intersection of commerce, curiosity, and perhaps, a bit of fantasy. At first glance, we see familiar creatures: a horse, a bull, a lion. But then there's the elephant, an animal that would have been seen as exotic and wondrous to a European audience at the time. The animals are presented as specimens, as objects of study. The added color, blocks of orange and blue, flatten the images and further strip away the animal’s inherent nature, turning them into objects to be consumed by the viewer. The inscription, which translates to "Here you see young youth! In this new print four animals depicted from life, precisely," suggests an educational purpose, yet there's a sense of wonder and spectacle embedded in the image. It reflects the era's complex relationship with the natural world and the human desire to categorize and control it.